The Braverman cousins range from infant to late teens, and unlike shows that skimp on the younger actors’ storylines to focus on the higher-profile (and higher-paid) adults, “Parenthood” provides the kids with some of the series’ most interesting subplots.

“As we’ve gone on, because we’ve got these young actors who are so strong, as writers we’ve been inspired to write to them more. The great thing about television is that we get to see these actors evolve as their characters evolve.”

For example, as Max Burkholder grew more comfortable portraying a boy with Asperger syndrome, Katims and his writing team felt compelled to offer him more screen time.

“When we first cast him, I wasn’t sure how much we’d be able to lean into that storyline,” admits Katims, whose son has Asperger. “But when we saw how incredible he was, the more we were able to tell stories specifically for him.”

As a result, Katims feels confident that, like Claire Danes, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly and other young performers he’s worked with, this cast will also graduate to successful acting careers.